Setting tool for bridging plugs



M. L. HART SETTING TOOL FIOR BRIDGING f LU-GS Jan. 12, 1943.

Filled Jah. 1o, 1941 mvEN'roR Mee/0A L. /ZQET BY E625 AORNSY Patented Jan. 12, 1943 SETTING TOOL FOR BRIDGING PLUGS Merida L. Hart, Chickasl'la, Okla., assigner to.

Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application January 10, 1941, Serial No. 373,904

6 Claims.

My invention relates to setting tools for bridging plugs and among the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a setting tool which is adaptedl (Cl. 16B-1) l. A conventional bridging plug comprises a packing element B, slip and cone means C adapted to coact for the purpose of locking the bridg ing plug against downward or upward movement to be suspended from a conductor cable and elec- .s in the Well casing, or against movement in eitherl trically operated to cause setting of a bridging direction. To set the bridging plug, one end is plug and thereupon to release from the bridging drawn upwardly while the other end is forced plug so that the setting tool and cable may be downwardly so as to compress the bridging plug removed; t axially. A mandrel provided with ahead D at Second, toprovide a setting tool which generl its lower end carries the packing element and ates force employed to set the bridging plug by lcone means, while a sleeve E fits over the upper interaction of chemicals, which interaction need end of the mandrel for the application of downnot be explosive; ward force on the packing element and slip and Third, to provide a setting tool operated by the cone means. The bridging plug may take various 'generation of pressure within the tool in which l5 forms, but essentially the two ends are moved the effect of the hydrostatic head of fluid in which axially toward each other. the tool is immersed is minimized and, in any My setting tool includes an adapter shell I of event, applied in a manner tending to assist tubular form, the lower end of which is adapted rather than'ihinder the operation of the setting to bear against the upper end of the sleeve E, as tool; i '20 shown in Figures 1 and 2. Suitablyu attached Fourth, to provide a setting tool which may be to the mandrel, as by a shear pin (not shown), caused to operate not only a bridging plug but is a setting rod 2 which extends upwardly into any other well device which is responsive to axial the shell i. The setting rod 2 is `attached to compression, or which requires relative longitudia piston rod 3. The piston rod is preferably pronal movement of its parts; vided with a bifurcated end 4 adapted to receive Fifth, to provide a setting tool which is easily' a screw 5 which extends laterally through an operated and which is inherently adapted to be eyelet formed in the upper end of the setting actuated by remote control without danger of rod. To permit access, the adapter shell is proimproper operation; and vided with openings 6.

Sixth, to provide a setting tool which incor- The upper end of the adapter shell I is screwporates a piston and cylinder unit, or may incorthreaded to a partition block 1 and the piston porate several piston and cylinder units, so that rod 3 extends through the partition block and the force generated by the setting tool may be through a packing gland 8 provided in the parcompounded. tition block.

With the above and other objects in view, as In order to prevent accidental upward movemay appear hereinafter, reference is directed to ment of the piston rod, a tube 9 extends downthe accompanying drawing, in which: wardly from the packing gland 8 around the rod Figure 1 is an elevational view of my setting and near its lower end is connected to the rod by tool shown in conjunction with a bridging plug, a shear pin i0. the setting tool and bridging plug being in their The upper end of the piston rod 3 is attached initial positions assumed when lowered into a to a piston li which lits within a cylinder l2 Well bore; screw-threaded into the upper end of the parti- Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view suhtion block l. The piston rod 3 is madeas small stantially through 2'2 of Figure 1, with the in diameter as possible so as to minimize the parts in elevation; y effect of the hydrostatic pressure in which the Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view oi the tool maybeimmersed, for, in operation ofthe setpower piston substantially through 3--3 of Figting tool, it may be submerged several thousand ure 4; feet in liquid. However, any hydrostatic pressure Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through tends to urge the piston rod and/ its piston up- 4--4 of Figure 3, showing particularlythe chemi- 50 wardly, which is a direction in movement to accal cartridges; and complish the setting operation.

Figure 5 is a top or plan view of the power cyl- Attached to and extending through the piston index' substantially from the line 5-5 of Figure 3. Ii is a hollow stem I3 which extends upwardly My setting tool is particularly designed for the through a second partition block I4 in which is setting ci' a bridging plug, designated A in Figure 55 provided a packing gland i5 and is joined to a cartridge block I8, which is secured to or forms part of a piston I1. A cylinder I8 for the piston is screw-threaded to the partition block I4. iid-v `jacent the fcartridge block I6 the hollow stem i3 is provided with a transverse inlet port I9 so that member 23 having a bore therethrough aligning with the explosive cartridge and which, in eect, forms a gun barrel. Attached to the lower end of each plug is a closed cylindrical shell 24 formed of thin, easily ruptured material such as thin sheet copper. Between ,each plug 23 and explosive cartridge 2| there is secured a shear disc 25 1 adapted to rupture when the explosive charge is ignited.

The explosive cartridges 2| preferably contain a fuse wire and are adapted to be set ofi electrically. For this purpose they are provided with contacts 2G at their inner or upper ends, which are engaged by ignition terminals 21. Each ignition terminal is connected to an ignition Wire 28 which extends through a small bore continuing from the corresponding cartridge socket. Above each cartridge socket the piston I1 is provided with a recess which receives a terminal socket 29 adapted to coact with the corresponding ignition Wire to make electrical contact. The terminal sockets 29 are in turn connected to conductors 39 which extend through the piston I1 and which may be joined electrically by a connector ring 3|.

The connector ring is joined to a flexible cable 32 which is coiled in the cylinder I8 above the piston I1 and is joined at its upper end to a terminal block 33. The upper end of the cylinder I8 is threaded for connection to a suitable cable head 34 which in turn is connected to a conductor cable 35.

The partition block I4 is provided with a passage 36 communicating between the cylinder I8 and the exterior of the partition block. Liquid 31 is adapted to be introduced through the passage 36 and is sealed therein by a plug 38. The piston Il and its cylinder I8, together with the partition block I4; forma power chamber 39, while piston II, cylinder I2 and partition block form a pressure chamber 4D. By reason of the hollow stem I3 and its intake ports I9 the presv sure generated in the power chamber 33 is applied equally to pressure chamber 40.

Operation of my setting tool is as follows: The chemical containers 22 are lled with a chemical 4| in liquid or powdered form which, when mixed with the liquid 3l, causes a pressure-producing chemical reaction; for example, the liquid 3l may be water and the chemical di may be calcium carbidethese react, when mixed, to form acetylene gas.

The setting tool is assembled, as shown in Figure 2, with the pistons in the lower parts of their respective cylinders, in which case the pis ton rod 3 and setting rod 2 are extended. The setting rod 2 is suitably attached to the bridging plug while the adapter shell l rests upon the bridging plug.

The setting tool and plug are then lowered to aeoaoca.

the desired position and the cartridges 2l are fired and the explosive pressure thus generated ruptures the thin shells 2d, discharging the contents di of the shells into the liquid 3l below. In this connection, it should-be noted that a comparatively small explosive force is all that is required and the name from such explosive force is fully extinguished before the acetylene gas can be generated by the reaction of the carbide and water. Upon reaction of the carbide and water, suiiicient pressure is generated to shear the pin ill, whereupon both cylinders move upwardly, pulling upon the setting rod 2, while the adapter shell prevents upward movement of the upper end of the bridging plug. If it is desired to eiect a downward movement of the upper end of the bridging plug, it is merely necessary to slack ofi' slightly on the cable 35 during the time the setting tool is in the process of operation.

It is preferred to attach the setting rod 2 to the bridging plug by a shear pin (not shown) and to generate sumcient excess pressure that the shear pin is certain togive way, thereupon automatically freeing the setting tool from the Inasmuch as it is diiilcult to insure against absolute seal of the various joints and the packing gland under extreme hydrostatic pressure, means may be provided to equalize the pressures through the piston, should there be a slow development of pressure in the power or pressure chambers 39 or dil. Thus, if well fluid should slowly seep into the power or pressure chambers, small bleeder passages l2 may be provided in the pistons Il and il; such bleeder passages are, of course, made small enough to have no appreciable loss oi pressure when the chemicals are caused to react.

Various changes and alternate arrangements may be made within the scope of the appended claims, in whlc` intention to claim all :novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as 'the prior art permits.

l claim:

l. A setting tool for well devices, comprising: piston and cylinder means adapted tol be connected with a well device; chemicals adapted. when combined, to generate pressure for actuating said piston and cylinder means; a container :for initially isolating one chemical from the other; and an explosive means for rupturing said container and forcing said chemicals to mix.

2. A setting tool for well devices, comprising: piston and cylinder units connected in tandem to form compounded pressure chambers; pressure-generating means in communication with both of said pressure chambers, said `pressuregenerating means including chemicals adapted, when combined, to generate pressure; a container for one of said chemicals initially isolating said chemicals; and an explosive means for rupturing said container and forcing said chemicals to inizi.

3. A setting tool for Well devices, comprising: a piston and cylinder means adapted to be connected with a well device; a chemical contained in said cylinder: a container for a complementary chemical carried by said piston; and means also carried by said piston for opening said container and permitting mixture of said chemicals in said cylinder, said chemicals adapted to react to generate pressure for moving said piston.

4. A setting tool for well devices, comprising: a piston and cylinder means adapted to be connected with a well-device; a chemical contained in said cylinder; a container tor a complementaryvchemical carried by said piston; and an explosive charge also carried by said piston for rupturing said container and forcing the contents thereof into mixture with the first men-` tioned chemical in said cylinder, said chemicals l adapted, when mixed, to generate pressure for actuating' said piston.

5. A setting tool for well devices comprising: an expansible pressure chamber containing a chemical; a rupturable container also in said chamber and containing a second chemical adapted, when mixed with the first chemical, to generate pressure; and an explosive means for rupturing said container and distributing the second chemical intimately in the first chemical.

6. A setting tool for well devices, comprising: a sleeve adapted tobear against one part of said well device; a pull lrod secured to another part of said device; piston and cylinder means connected with said sleeve and pull rod and forming an expansible chamber; a chemical in said chamber; a yrupturable container also in said chamber and containing a second chemical adapted to react with the rst chemical to generate pressure; and an explosive means for rupturing said container and drive said second chemical into intimate contact with the rst chemical.

MERIDA L. HART. 

